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164
CHAPTER XIII.
UP INTO DESOLATE TIBET.
At last I grew tired of waiting, and on 30th June I issued
orders that the caravan should appear at nightfall, ready
to start, outside our hut. No sooner were the camels led
out of their stable than the gadflies began to buzz about
them in clouds. As fast as each was loaded up, four men
were told off to drive away the insects from it with wisps
of kamish. As soon as the sound of the caravan-bells had
died away, I turned to say good-bye to Sirkin and Chernoff
;
and after thanking them for all they had done for me, I
shook hands with them and watched them disappear, amid
a cloud of dust, along the road leading to Charkhlik and
Kashgar.
As soon as it was night, I took my place with two canoe-
men in a light and comfortable canoe, and was speedily
flying along the very last section of the course of the Tarim.
The moon was just setting, but the air was clear and the
stars glittered brightly above the wandering lakes, upon
which we soon glided out, whilst a gentle breeze breathed
softly through the reeds. But we were soon in the midst
of the dense reed thickets, where no summer night breezes
were able to penetrate. There it was oppressively warm,
and miasmatic and other evil vapours arose from the
heated water. I had already mapped this region, so that
I was able to let myself drop off into an occasional doze.
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